One Seed. Unlimited Possibilities.

Whether it's your own cloud, VPN, deployment platform or automation: with a Seed, you launch your project in minutes. On a full Linux server in Frankfurt.

100% Made in GermanyGDPR compliantHourly billingNo minimum term
What is a Seed

Your own virtual server.

A Seed is your dedicated virtual machine in the dataforest Cloud: with its own kernel, guaranteed resources and native performance.

Custom Kernel and Root Access

Full control over operating system, network and installed software. Your server, your rules.

Guaranteed Resources

Dedicated CPU, RAM and SSD. No overcommitment, complete isolation from other users.

Native Performance

Through KVM full virtualization, your Seed runs at near-full physical server performance.

Own server vs. SaaS

Both have their place.

The question is not "better or worse", but: what fits your project? Three strengths on each side. You decide which ones you need.

With a Seed

You have sovereignty.

  • Full control, root access

    Own kernel, free choice of OS, network, software. Your machine, your rules.

  • Data on your own server

    No processing by third parties. GDPR-compliant by design. You keep data sovereignty.

  • Flat rate, no per-user pricing

    One server size, unlimited users. Costs scale with load, not team size.

With a SaaS service

You have it easy.

  • Instantly ready to use

    Create account, log in, done. No server configuration, no DNS records, no guides.

  • Automatic updates

    Security patches, feature updates, backup strategies. All from the provider. You maintain nothing.

  • No maintenance effort

    No reading logs, no firewall rules, no recovery plans. You use, the provider operates.

Self-hosting is the right choice if you want to keep control. And are willing to deal with updates, security and maintenance. If you don't want to invest that effort, SaaS is the better option.

Use Cases

What you can build with a Seed.

Each of these solutions runs on a single Seed. Choose your scenario. We'll show you the path from idea to running system.

Cloud

Your Own Cloud

Run your own cloud on the dataforest Cloud. Files, calendar, contacts and office on your server. Full control, GDPR compliant.

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root@cloud-01
VPN

Self-Hosted VPN Server

Run your own VPN server on the dataforest Cloud. Full control, no third parties, GDPR compliant.

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GamingMinecraftValheim

Game Server Hosting

Host your own game server on the dataforest Cloud. Minecraft, Valheim and more with Docker. Available 24/7, full control.

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KubernetesContainerCluster

Self-Hosted Kubernetes Cluster

Run a Kubernetes cluster on your own infrastructure. Container orchestration with automatic failover and horizontal scaling, billed hourly.

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CMSHeadlessAPI

Headless CMS

Run a headless CMS on the dataforest Cloud. Deliver content via API to your website, app and other channels. Open source, GDPR compliant.

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CommunityChatVoice

Self-Host Your Community Platform

Self-hosted Discord alternative. Text and voice channels on your own server, GDPR compliant, no tracking. Open-source community platform on the dataforest Cloud.

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Automationn8nWorkflows

Workflow Automation

Automate business processes with n8n on the dataforest Cloud. No per-execution fees, full data control, GDPR compliant.

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DeploymentCoolifyDocker

Self-Hosted Deployment Platform

Run your own deployment platform with Coolify on the dataforest Cloud. Deploy apps without platform fees, GDPR compliant.

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Your project, your rules

A Seed is a full Linux server. Anything that runs in a container runs here too.

Do I need technical experience?
Basic Linux knowledge is helpful. For each use case, we provide a step-by-step guide that walks you through setup and configuration. You don't need to be an expert, but you should be willing to learn.
What responsibility do I take on with my own server?
If you control your data, you also take responsibility for it. That means keeping your system up to date, installing security updates and configuring firewall rules. Our guides help you with that. For those who want to invest as little effort as possible, self-hosting is not the right choice.
What happens if something goes wrong? How do I protect my data?
For critical systems, we strongly recommend enabling backups. dataforest offers automatic daily offsite backups that can be restored at any time. Additionally, we recommend independently backing up important data to external systems. A backup strategy is not an optional extra but part of the responsibility that comes with self-hosting.
How much does a Seed cost?
Seeds are billed hourly, with no minimum term and no setup fees. You only pay for what you use. You can find the specific models and prices on our homepage.

Any questions?

Then our experts are happy to help. You'll be surprised how fast we are.

Contact an expertVisit FAQs
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